With a flash of light, researchers have induced mice to pounce on anything in their line of sight. Researchers from Yale University and the University of São Paulo isolated the regions of the mouse brain that control both hunting and biting, and say they can activate the neurons involved on command. The research should help illuminate another small part of the neural pathways that connect the outside world to our internal computations.

In this case, the researchers were interested in the link between an outside stimulus — like seeing a delicious cricket — and an action, such as pouncing on said cricket. Their research [open, DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.12.027] [DX], published Thursday in Cell, looks at the second part of that question. The researchers used a technique called optogenetics to empirically test the findings of a previous paper that described mouse brain regions involved in predatory behavior. They implanted genetic material from light-sensitive algae into neurons that control hunting and biting, and used flashes of laser light to stimulate them.

The results were convincing: When target regions were activated, the mice pounced without a second thought, following their predatory instincts. When the laser turned off, the mice returned to normal behavior. And the mice didn't limit their attacks to prey: When the kill switch was activated, they attacked sticks and bottle caps as well.

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Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed a new method of controlling biology at the cellular level using light. The tool -- called a photocleavable protein -- breaks into two pieces when exposed to light, allowing scientists to study and manipulate activity inside cells in new and different ways.

First, scientists use the photocleavable protein to link cellular proteins to inhibitors, preventing the cellular proteins from performing their usual function. This process is known as caging. "By shining light into the cell, we can cause the photocleavable protein to break, removing the inhibitor and uncaging the protein within the cell," said lead author Robert Campbell, professor in the Department of Chemistry. Once the protein is uncaged, it can start to perform its normal function inside the cell. The tool is relatively easy to use and widely applicable for other research that involves controlling processes inside a cell.

I mean literally, it looks like a light flashes and someone pulls on a cable hooked up to mouse's skull to pull it around the cage. Some of the other videos make it appear that the mouse is about to pounce, then the light turns on. Maybe it is some kind of optical illusion, but if these are the most convincing videos they could get, I am concerned.

That's where the zombie-myths come from(Score: 2) by q.kontinuum on Friday January 13 2017, @11:52AM

The infection is spread by some luminescent bacteria getting by accident to this area of the brain of the first person. The infected will bite the brains of anyone nearby, infecting the same region of the brain on their victims. Bacteria evolved (due to natural selection) to cause victims to bite exactly into the right area of the brain of their victims. Amazon was the first to foresee [theguardian.com] this development...

--Registered IRC nick on chat.soylentnews.org: qkontinuum

I see what you did there(Score: 2, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 13 2017, @01:13PM

The method they used involved genetically engineering the mice so that the neurons in their brains are able to be stimulated directly with light, this is not something that any non-modified organism will do. If they shine a light in your brain (or the brain of any non-modified animal) there will be no effect.

This type of thing has come up in several similar poorly reported articles on medical research.

Flip of the switch sounds great for click bait, but it is a lot more involved than that, and the method isn't generally applicable in non-engineered organisms. What it does show is that over-stimulating this area of the brain can cause these types of behaviors, indicating that this part of the brain has something to do with aggression.

So no scientists didn't learn to make zombies, they just have a better idea of which part of the mouse brain controls aggression.